Singletree.



No. 782,170. PATENTED FEB. '7, 1905. E. PAOKER.

SINGLETREE.

APYLIOATION FILED JULY 11,1904.

Patented February '7, 1905.

ATENT FFICE.

ELI PAGKER, OF DES MOINES, I()\VA.

SINGLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,170, dated February '7, 1905.

Application filed July 11,1904- Serial No. 216,116.

To 11]] 1171mm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELI PACKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Hoines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Singletree, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to facilitate hitching a horse to the singletree of a vehicle and to relieve the horse and the vehicle from jars incident to sudden motions of the animal.

My invention consists in the singletree hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims. and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top view of the singletree, partly in section, and shows the construction and combination of the different parts. Fig. 2 is an end view and shows the trace-hook and a slidable loop adjustably connected with the single-tree. Fig. is a longitudinal sectional view of the singletree and shows two contractile springs and one expansion spring combined in the tubular body of the singletree. Figs. l and 5 show modified ways of connecting the slidable loop and trace-hooks with the ends of the singletree. Fig. 6 shows a modified form of trace-hook and the end of a lmrness-trace connected therewith.

The numeral 10 designates the body portion of a singletree in the form of a straight openended metal tube that may vary in size as desired. it is reinforced at its center by a wooden bar 12, connected therewith by metal bands 13 at its ends and a clip 14: at its center, that projects forward and is provided with a bolt-hole for pivotally connecting it with the end of a doubletree. A pulley-bearer in the form ofa bifurcated metal block 15 is fixed in each end of the tube 10, and a pulley 16 mounted therein, as shown, and a coil-spring f7 placed in the tube, and cords 18, connected with its ends and extended outward through bores in the blocks 15, as shown or in any suitable way, in such a manner that the spring will be stretched when force is applied to the cords. Trace-hooks 19 are fixed to the outer ends of the cords by means of metal frames or shdable loops 20, as shown, or in any suitable way as required to allow the loops to be drawn forward on the ends of the singletree when a harness-trace is connected with the hook and force applied to the trace by the pull of a horse.

In Fig. 3 an expansible spring 21 is shown in the center of the tube and contractile springs 22 fixed to its ends to contact with the fixed blocks 15 in such a manner that when force is applied to the cords 18 it will be resisted by the three springs that serve as cushions to prevent any sudden motion or jar.

In Fig. l a bridle 2?, is shown fixed to the rear side and end portion of the tube ll) to prevent the slidable loop from moving backward and directing it inward when drawn backward by the spring force in the tube, and in Fig. 5 the bridle is on the front side of the tube to produce the same result.

In Fig. 6 a straight metal bar 24. is fixed to a block 25, to which the cord is is attached, and that has an integral trace-hook 26 and loops 27 and 28 fixed to the bar to aid in keeping the end of the harnesstraee 29 on the book as required in practical use.

Having thus set forth the purpose of my invention and the manner of the construction and function of each part. the practical operation and utility thereof will be obvious to persons familiar with the art to which it pertains, and

\Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A singletree consisting of a tube reinforced at its central portion and provided with means for pivotally connecting it at its center with a doubletree, pulleys on its end portions, a coil-spring in its end portion, a coil-spring in its center, cords fixed to the ends of the spring and extended out over the pulleys and trace-hooks fixed to the outer ends of the cords, to operate in the manner set forth for the purposes stated.

2. A singletree consisting of a tube reinforced at its central portion and provided with means for pivotally connecting it at its center with a doubletree, pulleys in its end portions, a coil-spring in its center, cords fixed to the ends of the spring and extended out over the pulleys and trace-hooks fixed to the outer ends of the cords, and loops conthe outer ends of the cords and loops con- I nected With the trace-hooks, to operate in the nected With the trace-hooks and bridles fixed manner set forth for the purposes stated. to the end portions of the tube, arranged and 3. A singletree consisting of a tube procombined to operate in the manner set forth 5 vided With means for pivotally connecting it for the purposes stated.

at its center With a doubletree, pulleys in its ELI PACKER. end portions, a coil-spring in its center, cords WVitnesse s: v fixed to the ends of the spring and extended R. G. ORWIG,

out over the pulleys and trace-hooks fixed to R. H. ORWIG.- 

